Waste Management Phoenix Open named 2018 'Tournament of the Year'

The tournament set attendance records on the PGA Tour once again in 2018.

Author:
Cameron La Fontaine

Published:
4:25 PM MST December 7, 2018

Updated:
8:56 PM MST December 7, 2018

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - At the PGA Tour's annual December tournament meetings Thursday, the Waste Management Phoenix Open, hosted at TPC Scottsdale's Stadium Course, was named as the tour's "Tournament of the Year" for 2018.

In addition to the top tournament honor, the Waste Management Phoenix Open tied for the "Most Fan-First Event" along with the Safeway Open, which takes place in Northern California.

Dubbed, "The Greatest Show on Grass" and the "biggest party on tour" thanks to the stadium style grandstands that line the par-3 16th hole, the tournament hosted 720,000 fans in 2018, nearly 63,000 more than the previous year.

The tournament's attendance in 2018 broke its own record for the highest-attended PGA Tour event ever.

In 2018, the tournament hosted a four-day concert series at the course including a Thursday night performance by Florida Georgia Line that brought 10,000 fans. The tournament also raised $12.2 million for local charities, also a record.

The annual tournament always has a popular field of players. In 2018, Phil Mickelson, Rickie Fowler, Jordan Speith, Justin Thomas, Matt Kuchar, Bryson Dechambeau, Jon Rahm and Patrick Reed all played in 2018's event, among many other big names.

Kuchar, Dechambeau, Mickelson, Fowler, Rahm and Thomas all finished in the top 20, as well.

In the end, it was Gary Woodland who won the tournament after winning a playoff hole against Chez Reavie. The two finished the four-day tournament at 18 under par, the lowest score to win the tournament since Mickelson won with a -28 in 2013.

The 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open takes place on the first weekend of February with the first round beginning Thursday Jan. 31. The first two rounds will air on NBC's Golf Channel and the final two rounds will be on 12 News.